(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital broadcast recording apparatus which receives a scrambled digital broadcast, and particularly to a digital broadcast recording apparatus which performs recording processes such as timer-recording of a program and the like, or to a digital broadcast recording apparatus having a built-in reproduction function (also known as digital broadcast recording reproduction apparatus).
(2) Description of the Related Art
In a digital broadcast, a pay program is scrambled and distributed. The distributed program can only be descrambled and then viewed on a terminal of a user who has paid a viewing fee.
This descrambling function ceases to function on specific conditions. For example, when a contract term with a broadcast operator expires, or when an IC card or descrambling module which authenticates a contract-holder is removed from a receiving terminal. In these cases, as the receiving terminal outputs a scrambled video, the user is annoyed, and in the case where a program is being recorded, unneeded scrambled video is recorded.
In the conventional technology, when descrambling is not possible in the receiving terminal for scrambled broadcasts, problems are avoided by switching the video output of the receiving terminal (for example, see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 10-215444 Publication). As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional method for responding to when descrambling is prohibited or not possible mainly includes: a step of judging whether or not a program on a current channel has become new (S3001), a step of judging whether or not the new program can be viewed (S3002), a step of receiving the current channel when viewing is possible (S3003), and a step of receiving a promotional channel when viewing is not possible (S3004).
Thus in the conventional technology, in the case where descrambling becomes not possible, the outputting of scrambled video is prevented by changing the channel to be received to a channel that can be descrambled or a channel that is not scrambled, and outputting such received channel.
However, although, in the conventional technology, the recording of a scrambled video can be avoided when descrambling becomes not possible during the recording of a scrambled video, the change to a video which is different from the original program presents a problem in that the recording becomes intermittent.
For that reason, when storing on a recording medium (an HD (hard disk), a re-writable optical disc, a (once only) recordable disc, a memory, and so on), unneeded recording appears intermittently. As a result, the existence of useless recording is confirmed while the viewer is viewing the recorded program. Aside from being very annoying, it puts a strain on the available capacity of storage media through the storing of unneeded and useless information onto the recording medium. In addition, when the recording medium to be used for storing is a recording medium such as a CD-R (Compact Disc Recordable) or a DVD-R (Digital Versatile Disc Recordable) which can only be written-on once, it is possible that, at worst, the recording medium itself becomes useless as, in the case where the above-mentioned situation occurs, the area on which unneeded information is stored into can no longer be overwritten.